How to Repair an Off-Track Tilt Window

Tilt windows make cleaning easier, especially on the upper floors of your home. Unfortunately these windows have mechanisms that occasionally pop loose (usually with a loud noise) throwing them off track and preventing the window from being opened. Putting your tilt window back on track takes only a few minutes, but, the procedure requires quite a bit of patience and practice.

Things You'll Need

Off track tilt window

Unlock the safety latch(es) on the top of your window. Slide the bottom pane up 2 inches. Slide the retaining locks on the top edge of the frame of the bottom window and pull the top of the window towards you. Hold the window tightly as it swings in and down.

Twist the open bottom window slowly and remove it from the main frame. Listen for the two loud popping noises as the retaining pins come loose from the mechanisms on either side of the main frame.

Inspect the retaining pins. Locate the small metal pins on either side of the bottom outside edges of the frame. Inspect these pins for visible damage. Wiggle each pin with your fingers to check for stability. Neither pin should move. Replace this section of the window if there is either visible or stability damage.

Locate the mechanisms inside of the main frame. Find the small plastic retainers at the bottom of the springs. These retainers should be somewhere around the level of the bottom of the top window section. Inspect the mechanisms for visible damage. Replace this section of window if there is visible damage or the retainers are not near the middle of the outer frame.

Lower the top window until the bottom edge is 2 inches from the bottom of the main frame. Remove the top window in the same fashion as the bottom unit was removed. Inspect the retaining pins on the upper window and the mechanisms in the main frame. Replace any damaged sections of the window as necessary.

Replace the upper window. Hold the window horizontally and lift one side of the window and hook the retaining pin on the lower side into its receiver on the mechanism. Pull the window to lower the mechanism. Maneuver the window so that the opposite pin finds its receiver. Twist the window so that both mechanisms are even in their tracks and the window is flat. Raise the top of the window until the top retainers clip into place in the tracks. Raise the window to its proper position.

Replace the lower window into the frame using the same procedure as you did for the upper section. Push the lower window down to the bottom of the main window frame. Engage the window lock(s).